As our economy slowly revives across the world, more and more public places, such as malls, restaurants, and many others, are being reopened even though there is still a pandemic. Opening the world again requires us to move forward together and ensure precautionary measures are being taken, including practicing social distancing, wearing face masks, and sanitizing. Some countries even require the wearing of face shields and other new regular habits to reduce our risk of being exposed to the virus that is COVID-19.
Public officials are taking some steps to reduce our risk of getting the virus. It strongly relies on public health measures that include increased testing of people for the virus, social distancing, isolation, and continuous contact tracing of someone infected might infect other people.
Businesses are slowly opening their operations
Since the economy is gradually improving, some companies are opening their operations again. These workplaces must be sanitized before the opening. After this, regular cleaning of its facilities for its employees’ safety and the people who will be dealing with these businesses will be imperative. The public places should be sanitized by a trusted cleaning service that will conduct cleaning and disinfecting. On the other hand, dentists, body artists, and private practices will need a more thorough medical centre cleaning for healthcare industries. The staff who will perform the cleaning must wear appropriate PPE, and they should read and be carefully instructed on how to apply the disinfectants according to the label for their safety and to ensure that the products are used effectively.
For outdoor areas, they generally just require a normal routine cleaning and do not necessarily require disinfection. Spraying disinfectant on sidewalks and parks is not an efficient way to use disinfectant supplies, and there was no proof that it reduces the risk of COVID-19 in public. For outdoor areas, it is advisable to maintain existing cleaning and hygiene practices. Using targeted disinfectants can be done efficiently, effectively, and safely on outdoor hard objects and surfaces frequently touched by numerous people. There may also be additional requirements in certain outdoor areas and facilities such as bars and restaurants. No evidence proves that the virus that causes COVID-19 can spread directly to humans from water in pools, spas, hot tubs, or water play areas. Proper operation, maintenance, and disinfection of these facilities should help minimize the risk of contracting the virus from these places.
Keeping public spaces clean
One of the primary habits that are being done for this new normal focuses on maintaining the cleanliness and disinfection of public spaces, including your workplace, school, home, and business. Cleaning and disinfection as part of reducing the risk of exposure to COVID-19 are essential in public spaces. Every citizen must participate in slowing down the spread of the virus through social distancing, maintaining good hygiene such as regular washing of hands, and wearing masks. Everyone in the community has a role in staying safe as possible for public places to remain open.
Despite everything that happened, one of the good things is we learned to appreciate the value of public spaces during the pandemic, like parks that we often neglect before. Greater awareness of these public spaces has suddenly become part of the national conversation. People’s appreciation of public spaces is driven by necessity since social distancing and stay-at-home measures have become more frequent. The parks and open spaces that we used to take for granted have become great refuge outside of our homes. Suddenly, these neglected and underfunded civic assets including parks, public spaces, and nature are becoming more recognized.
Additionally, people are also becoming more aware and participative with our shared civic commons as they are recognized as critical social, environmental, and health infrastructure for communities. These have made cleanliness in public spaces even more important since more people are going to these public spaces again. A lot of people are rediscovering the joys of walking in the park. They see it as a form of relief and an escape from the cramped, confined, and controlling circumstances they are feeling from staying at home.
If you would want to help out in cleaning public spaces, there are measures that you should follow. Before disinfection, you have to clean surfaces and objects using soap and water. Wearing gloves is required, and it should be appropriate for the chemicals being used for routine cleaning and disinfecting. Always check the direction and follow what is required on the disinfectant label for additional PPE needs. When you are done cleaning, always keep in mind to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
